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Well, it’s official. My travel photo a day is no more. It’s just not going to work. It’s too difficult to keep on top of while I’m out here. I can’t upload my photos easily, I have photos on both my phone and my camera, and I don’t always have time to write about each one, and blog as well. It was getting WAY too confusing!

And also, I have to say, I have fond memories of my Photo a Day for 2012 and doing it again (albeit for a different purpose) just wasn’t the same. In fact, it was almost tarring my great memories of last year’s project and why I did it.

So, after realising I hadn’t taken any pictures for a couple of days, I realised it was nail in the coffin time for TPAD. Already. I know, I know, I’m a bit disappointed in myself. But, I’ve decided I’m just going to blog and post as many pictures as I can on here, and then put pictures on Facebook when I can. I might look at something like Flickr or some other online photo account and post a link but I haven’t got time at the moment to look into it. Well, I’ve got a year so it will give me something to do at some point.

So, many apologies to everyone who was looking forward to it. But, I hope the blog and what pictures I can post here will be enough. And don’t worry, when I get back you can always sit through the whole year’s worth of pictures in one go with me providing running commentary…. No? I’ll bring cake. No? Beer? No? Oh. Ok then.

Landed in Zambia today; I’ll be spending the next 4 weeks here on an Education and Rural Community internship. I’m in Livingstone, which is just up the road from the Victoria Falls (on the border with Zimbabwe). The internship starts tomorrow, so today has been spent getting here (didn’t arrive until lunchtime, after a decent flight but a long queue to get visas and a airport pickup that didn’t nearly happen), catching some rays and reading my book. I also went for a little wander to get a healthy, nutritious tea (egg sandwich, African-equivalent wotsits and some biscuits) and to see what’s about.

No surprises, it’s very African here. Dusty, hot, no proper roads, people (and sometimes animals) wandering around. I got stared at a lot and the usual hard sell to buy some local jewellery and I’d only got about 50 yards down the road. I better get used to it I guess, although I’m not quite comfortable with it yet. I’ve only been away two days but already I’ve had that, and a few people at the airports trying to ‘help’ me by either shoving me towards boarding gates or trying to get me to follow them so they can show me where I need to go. They’re only doing it for a few pennies but I told them I knew what I was doing ta very much.

Still feeling a bit shattered today, I think it’s all the travelling. Not much time difference (only an hour) but quite a few miles covered and I think it’s worn me out a bit. I’ve been a bit anti-social today, reading a book rather than speaking to people. Not so much effort that way. And besides, I’ll meet other volunteers tomorrow. Early night tonight I reckon. Rock n roll.

So, today is Day 1 of my Travel Photo A Day. I wasn’t quite sure what photo to use today to start with. I landed at about 9am this morning (8am British Summer Time) and got to my hostel mid morning. I’ve not really been out with my camera; or really been out that much. I went for a stroll to Pick n Pay (like SA Tesco) to get some food to eat after my run. I had a little nap because I was still shattered after the 11 hour night flight where, although I slept, it wasn’t great sleep. I can’t complain about the flight though; good service, decent food and I got two seats to myself. I went for a run this afternoon (see Runs Around the World #4) then came back and had a shower, food and read my book for a bit.

It was weird, sat reading my book in the garden in the sun. I felt guilty. Like I should have been doing something. It hit me as I was sat there that I am going to have to get used to this. Relaxing. No work. Plenty of time to chill out. I have to admit I felt a bit panicked. What would I do? How will I fill my time? Can I do it? I don’t sit down that much. I like to have stuff on. This might be a challenge. I’m sure I’ll get used to it but it’s a little bit weird. My next 4 weeks will be like having a job because I’m doing an internship which will be Mon-Fri. So like work, I’m just not getting paid. This might help me with the transition. And where I am today is just a transition; there’s not that much to do or see really, unless I venture out a bit further for longer.

So, today’s photo was what happened this afternoon/evening. I had said I was going to have a break from drinking for a bit. Well, that hasn’t happened. I got forced persuaded to have a brandy and coke by some guys staying in the hostel. We went out to get pizza and beer, and have had interesting discussions about apartheid and Marcus was showing us lots of videos of spiders and bungee jumps gone wrong. He has an unhealthy obsession with YouTube. I’ve been sensible and stopped drinking though, it’s not a session, rather just a couple of beers. I’ve even had water. Get me. Well, I do have to be at the airport at half 8 tomorrow morning too.

It was alright brandy though. So, have I started as I mean to go on? Only time will tell. And yep, all you lot who said I wouldn’t last, you win. Only one out of the two though 😛